Electrically-wound clock



Filed March 10, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 Jan. 31, 1933. e. P. COWLES ELEGTRICALLY WOUND CLOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 10, 1930 Patented Jan. 31, 1933 GEORGE P. OOWLES, OF WATERBUBY, CONNECTIOU '1, ASSIGNOR OFFICE '10 WATEBBUBY cLocx comm, or wamauny, common, a conronarxon ELEOTBIGALLY-WOUHD cnocx Application filed mu 10, mo. Serial No. 434,584.

My invention relates to an improvement in electrically-wound clocks, the object being to prevent what is known in horology as over-bankin with its attendant efiect on timekeeping, y virtually isolating from the time-train the torque of a motor of sufiicient power to insure its starting when released- A further object of my invention is to provide ward end a simple and reliable mechanism for accomplishing the above purpose.

With these ends in view, my invention consists in an electrically-wound clock having certain details of construction and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter describe and pointed out in the claims. 7

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in rear elevation of an improved electrically-wound clock embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a detached view in elevation of the main winding-wheel with the planetary-gear control-train installed thereupon, showing in dotted line the control-pin with which the said train cooperates and also showing the main-wheel of the time-train, which is concengric with the main winding-wheel aforesai Fig.4 is a view in vertical transverse section on the line H of Fig. 3, with the addition of the control-wheel;

Fig. 5 is a.- detached co'ntrol-wheel;

Fig.6 is a corresponding view of the contnil-hoozk; an; A

i is a ra enta sectional view on the li iie 7 7 of 1. ry

In the electrically-wound clock chosen for the illustration of mg invention, I employ a motor comprising-a eld-coil 10, a laminated field-magnet 11, and a rotor 12, which latter is mounted upon a shaft 13 carryin a pinion 14 meshing into a gear 15 mounted upon the arbor 16 of a winding-train located between the rear and front movement-plates 17 and 18 of the clock-movement. The said arbor 16 carries a pinion 19 meshing into a gear 20 on an arbor 21 carrying a pinion 22 meshing into a gear 23 on an arbor 24 carrying a inion 25 meshing into a wheel 26 on an a r 27 perspective view of the windin .trol-wheel 37 is driven at speed, as herein shown, by the gear-w eel 23 which tion with the carrying a pinion 28 meshing into the main g-wheel 29 mounting a spring-barrel 30 provided, as usual, with a hook 31 for the attachment of the end of the outer coil of a mam-spring 32 located within the barrel and having its inner end attached by means of a book 33 to the hub 34 of the main-arbor 35.

he main-arbor 35 has staked upon its forthe main wheel 36 of the time-train composed of the usual gears, pinions, and escapement, and not necessary to particularly describe. The motor through its rotor 12 effects the winding of the main-spring 32, the power of which is transmitted through the main-arbor 35 to the main-wheel 36 of the time-train and hence to the escapement of the clock.

Now, to prevent the motor from winding the main-spring 32 to such a degree as to transmit its torque directly to the escapement and result in the over-banking I employ a control-wheel 37 staked bushing38 turning loosel rear end of the main-ar u n 9. upon the re need or 35. This cona relativel -high in common parlance is the third wheel of the winding-train, by which it is periodically driven, though it is continliously urged to rotate. The said control-wheel carries, near its periphery, a forwardl jecting control-pin 39 which periodica coacts with the nose 40 of a control-hoo 41 rigidly secured by rivets 42 to the outermost wheel 43 of a planetaryear control-train mounted upon the rear ace of the main winding-wheel 29'and-comprising the said wheel 43., which is mounted upon a stud 44, a pinion 45 meshed into by the said wheel 43 and mounted upon a stud 46, a gear 47 car- "ried by the said pinion 45'and meshing into a pinion 48 mounted upon a stud 49 and carrying a gear 50 meshing into a pinion 51 on the rear end of the main-arbor 35.

vThe three lanetary-gears and their pinions above main winding-wheel 29, in addition to their individual rotation upon their respective studs in the usual manner of planetary-gearing.

-pro

of the same,

escribed have bodily rota- The several trains and parts above set forth are constructed, ordered and timed so 7 that after the main-spring 32 has been wound by the motor to a predetermined degree sufiicient to drive the escapement with proper pressure, say for a period of twenty-four hours, or for any other period that may be determined upon, the control-nose 400i the control-hook 41 is moved outward into the path of the control-pin 39 carried by the control-wheel 37, which latter during this windlng is being revolved at a relativelyrapid rate bythe motor. The ensuing en- ,gagement of the control-pin 39 with the nose rate of speed by the motor and hence with v.

correspondingly small torque, so that when the control-pin 39 engages with the controlhook 41 but a small amount of restraint is required to check its rotation and hencecheck the rotation of the motor. Therefore, the driving-urge of the control-pin 39 upon the main winding-wheel 29 is so slight as tobe negligible in its effect upon the application of power to the time-train in suflicient amount to cause the over-banking of the escapement.

Now, as the main-spring 32 slowly unwinds in driving the escapement, the pinion 51 upon the main-arbor 35 will cause the reverse rotation of the planetary-gear-train,

with the effect of swinging the nose 40 of the control-hook 41 inward out of the path of the control-pin 39, so that the control-wheel 37 is released for rotation, whereby the motor is released from restraint and permitted to act through the winding-train to rewind the main-spring 32, after which the cycle above described is repeated.

It will be noted that the inward swinging mo vement of the control-hook 41 is in the same direction as the control-pin 39 is being urged to move by the motor, so that the effort required for this disengagement is at the minimum, and does, not impose an appreciable load upon the time-train.

Since the motor has a relatively-high torque, it is necessary to provide bearings for the rotor of the same, which will permit the free rotation of the said rotor but guard the same against vibration under the pulsations of alternating current. For thispurpose, the respective opposite lendsoft he rotor-shaft 13 are reduced 'indiameter to'fform d ne :tapered'pivots 52 which run incorrespo bearings, so that a description of. one will serve for both. Each of these bearings consists of an annular olived jewel 53 adapted in its interior periphery to engage and centralize the tapered pivot 13. The said jewel 53 is mounted in an axial recess 54 in the inner face of a relatively-large bearing-screw 55 provided upon its exterior periphery with screw-threads 56 engaging with correspondingthreads 57 ina bore formed in a bridgeplate- 58 secured in any approved manner to the motor-frame 59. The end of each of the pivots 52 impinges against a cap-jewel 60' set into the inner end of an adjusting-screw 61 threaded into the adjusting-screw 55 before referred to. By moving the adjusting-screw 55 inward until the inner periphery of the annular jewel 53 lightly engages the tapered periphery of the pivot 13, the latter will be accurately centered and held against lateral vibration under the influence of the alternating current energizing the motor. To limit the end-play of the rotor-shaft 13 and to preventthetapered pivot from wedging itself into the annular jewel 53, the adj usting-screw 61 isturned inward to bring the cap-jewel 60 into engagement with the rounded outer end of the pivot 13. Bythis construction I am enabled to employ a motor of relativelyhigh torque and stabilize the rotor thereof against the annoying vibration and consequent hum, due to the pulsations in the alternating current employed to energize the motor. I

I am, by my improved construction as herein described, enabled 'to employ a motor of suflicient torque to insure its self-startlng when released, without in any way endangering over-banking, with its attendant effect upon the timekeeping quality of the clock.

I claim:

1. An electrically-wound clock having a motor, a main-spring, a windingtrain for imparting the motion of the former to the latter, a pair of co-acting locking abutments, one of which is retirable out of the path of the other, and respectively driven at difierential rates of speed but in the same directlon by the said motor,.the said retirable abutment moving at a much lower rate of speed than its complementary abutment, and connections between the said main-spring and the said retirable abutment for moving the same out of the path of its co-acting abutment upon the unwinding of the main-spring for unlocking the said winding-train to permit it to rewind the said main-spring.

2. An electrically wound 'clock having a" tion by the said motor and one being retirable 30 a pair of co-acting locking abutments mountout of the path of the other, the said retirable spring, a control-wheel coaxial therewith, a a utment moving at a much lower rate of pair of co-acting locking abutments respecspeed than its complementary abutment, and tively carried by the said wheels, one of connections between the said main-spring which abutments is retirable with respect to and the said retirable abutment for moving the other, the said abutments being driven 70 the same out of the path of its co-acting abutin the same direction and the said retirable ment upon the unwinding of the said mainabutment moving at a much lower rate of 7 p ing r n king the Said winding-train speed than its complementary abutment, and to permit it to rewind the said main-spring. a planetary-gear-train interposed between the 10 3. An electrically-wound clock having 8 said main-spring and the said retirable-,abut- 75 motor, a main-spring, a winding-train for ment for moving the same out of the path of imparting the motion of the former t0 h its co-acting abutment upon the unwinding latter, a pair of co-actin locking abutments f the said main-spring for unlocking the respectively driven at iiferental rat of said Winding-train to permit it to rewind the 'speed but in the same direction by the said aid main-spring. motor and one being retirable out of the path 7, A electrically-wound clock having a of the other, the said retirable abutment movt r, a main-spring, a winding-train for ing at a much 1 Wer ra f spee n imparting the motion of the former to the complementary abutment, n a planetary latter, a winding-wheel for the said main- 2 gear-train interposed between the said mainring, a ntrol-W11 sprfng andh aid ret r l h h locking abutment rigidly secured to the said m ymg h sam Out Of the pat p Its control-wheel, a retirable locking abutment actlhghhutmhht uP011 the y g movably mounted upon the said windingmamsprmg for uhlocklhg h 331d Wlhd" wheel, the said abutments being driven in 1ng-train to permit it to Tewlhd the Said the same direction and the; said retirable main-spring.

I abutment moving at a much lower rate of Ah l y' h Flock h g speed than its coacting abutment, and conmotor, a mam-spring, a w1nd1ng-tra1n for imnections between the sad main-spring and P h g the motloh 0f the former t0 the latter, the said retirable" abutment for moving the same out of the ath of its co-actin abut- 95 ed for bodily movement about a common p center and respectively driven at difi'erential s rin f unlockin the id i i m rates of speed but in the same direction b p g g g y to it 't to rewind the said main-s rin the said motor and one bem ti bl out perm 1 p g 1 tr' ll 4 o n clock havin a of the path of the other, the said. retirable f g tgg g g Z gindingtmin 1m abutment thovmg at a much lower rate of imparting the motion of the former to the speed than Its comptementary abutment E latter, a winding-Wheel for the said mainap1.&netarygeartr.am Ween the smd spring, a control-wheel coaxial therewith, a spntlg and the said retirable abutmtint for locking abutment rigidly secured to the said moYmg the same out of the 9 Its control-wheel, a retirable locking abutment 105 acting t t upon the t g movably mounted upon the said windingma.1n'spnng unlocktng the t t wheel the said abutments being driven in 1ng -tra1n to permit it to rewind the sa:d malnp v t e same direction and the said retirable I 45 5. g

abutment moving at a much lower rate of n t h l Y a speed than its coacting abutment, and a Q F L t a wmdmg'tram for planetary-gear-train interposed between the lmpartmg 9 the to t said main-spring and the said retirable abutt wmdmgwheel for sald 9 ment or moving the same out of the path spr1ng,.a control-wheel coaxial therewith, a

4 5o p a1r of co-acting locking abutments respecof its coactmg' abutment upon the unwindf the'said main-spring for unlocking 115 tively carried by the said wheels one of mg which abutments is retirable with riespect to ggigg g gg to permlt It to rewind the other t s abutment? being dnven in 9. An electricallywound clock having a fif f mg fggfg fig g ggsg gg g sfi zg motor, a main-spring, a winding-train for eel coaxial therewith, a 85 than its complementary abutment, and conlmparting the motion of the former to the 12 latter a. air of co-acting locking abutments nections between the said main-s rm and p the said retirableabutment for m hvin g the respectlvelx dnYen at dlfiefentlal same out of the path of its co-actt'ng abut- .Speed by the sad motor and one of whlch ment-upon the unwinding of the Said 18 retirable out of the path of the other, the

125 spring f l ki th id winding train said abutments being driven in the same d1- to permit it to wind th id maimspring rection and the said retirable abutment mov-' 6. An electrically-wound clock having a ing at a much lower rate of speed than its motor, a main-spr1ng, a winding-train for complementary abutment, and connections imparting the motion of the former to the between the said main-spr ng and the said no latter, a winding-wheel for the said nainretirable abutment for movlng the same out of the path of its direction corresponding co-acting abutment in a to the urge of the latter upon the unwinding of the said main-' spring for unlocking the said'winding-train to permit it to rewind the said main-spring.

10. An electrically-wound clock having a motor, a main-spring, a winding-train for imparting the motion of the former to the latter, a planetary-gear-train driven in one direction by the said main-spring and in the other direction by the said motor, a retirable lockingabutment mounted upon one of the wheels of the said planetary-'gear-train, and a second locking abutment adapted to co-act with the said retirable abutment and driven at a faster rate of speed by the said motor,

' the said abutments being driven in the same direction but at differential rates of speed, whereby upon the unwinding of the said main-spring, the planetary-gearing will be rotated to withdraw the said retirable abutment out of the path of its oo-acting abutment for unlocking the said winding-train to permit it to rewind the said main-spring.

In testimony specification.

GEORGE P. COWLES.

whereof,'I have signed this I 

